Our bodies are the temples of God; only through his grace, do we have the capacity to care for these holy houses with good diet and healthy exercise. For years, such attendance was beyond my natural ability, but now I highly esteem the enabling gift from God, which provides me with the means to execute both these disciplines effectively.
Clearly I recall the days, when weighing 226 pounds, walking caused painful rubbing together of my fleshy thighs. Brokenhearted, after repeated failures and fresh firm resolve, I would yet again reach toward the “easy” goal of a 20-minute walk, 3 times a week. I could never achieve this, try as I might.
Lo and behold, my challenge has been reversed: now I have to be careful not to obsess about exercise, as I so love walking aerobically, for this invigorates me, stimulating a marvelous sense of well-being in my soul.
My trustworthy instruction book, the Bible, warns that there are advantages in physical exercise, but these are limited, as they pale in sight next to the gains acquired by putting spiritual development first. Thus, we must approach workouts with great wisdom, so they neither own us, nor escape us.
My days are jam-packed, for I am gratefully fulfilling my ordained achievements with my food history writings and other ministry. The result is a thrilling existence, in which I can run out of time at the end of a day, leaving me with critical choices, with which I have to prioritize.
Our gracious Father has granted me a tool to do such: there is a winter wonderland scene at the Tualatin Commons, the man-made lake near my home. All the trees surrounding this body of water are dressed in bright, white lights (the floating Christmas tree was taken down after the New Year). This has become my piece de resistance, which early in my day I start anticipating: will this pleasure be mine at twilight? Only supernatural help allows me to accomplish the needed organization to allow this longed-for walk.
Discipline in ordering my day is critical; by necessity, exercise has become secondary to my fulfilling the higher purpose of my calling. Often I recall how this valued ambulation used to be such a burden, causing sores on my overweight thighs, but now I crave walking. I didn’t bring this miracle about; my great Healer affected it in me over time. I am literally his walking miracle!
Not only has my exercise been refined, but healthy eating has come to me supernaturally, as well. Slowly I have attained excellent eating disciplines; incorporating quinoa (KEEN-wah) in my diet is one such development. This is a cereal grain, sometimes referred to as a seed; all grains, legumes, and nuts are seeds.
Quinoa is a power-food that is native to northern South America; it was domesticated originally as food for livestock around 5000 B.C., near the Lake Titicaca basin of Peru and Bolivia-I spent a night on this pitch black, remote lake, the largest inland body of water in the southern hemisphere, which doesn’t have electricity.
Quinoa was a staple with the Incas, second only to the potato in importance, and is still in the forefront among their indigenous descendants the Quechua and Aymara people. It is a grain from a plant called Chenopodium quinoa, which is a member of the same family as beets and spinach.
Like many ancient grains, this seed was almost lost: in 1532, the Spanish explorer Francisco Pizarro destroyed quinoa fields, in his attempt to annihilate the Incan culture; this crop, however, survived in the high Andean mountains. Quinoa was reintroduced to the modern world in the 1970’s and 80’s.
This high-fiber, complete-protein food, rich in numerous vitamins and minerals, produces a starch gel, similar to that of risotto, giving it a kind of silky texture, according to Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page in Culinary Artistry; they further state that its earth tones highly compliment the mineral and earthy components of lobster-try experimenting with this combination.
Here, however, I quickly prepare it in two savory dishes. This pseudo cereal-not a member of the grass family, therefore not a true cereal-can also be cooked as a breakfast food; serve it with dried fruit, honey, and an alternative milk, such as almond or hazelnut.
My discovery of quinoa has blessed me immensely; may it benefit you likewise.
References:
Harold McGee, On Food and Cooking (New York: Scribner, 1984, 2004), pp. 451-483.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa
http://www.ancientgrains.com/quinoa-history-and-origin/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/quinoa-the-mother-of-grains-1-57670322/
Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, Culinary Artistry (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), pp. 142, 143.
Simple Cooked Quinoa Yields: 3-5 servings, as a main course or side dish respectively. Total prep time: 30 min/ active prep time: 15 min/ cooking time: 15 min. Note: double this for healthy leftovers; this is especially good added to green salads (see photo above).
1 c quinoa (Tri-color or red organic quinoa is preferable-color is important in diet.)
1-15 oz can of chicken, vegetable, or beef broth
1/2 tsp salt (Himalayan, pink, or Real Salt is critical for optimum health; a fine grind Himalayan salt is available very cheaply at Costco.)
- Toast the grain in a hot, dry frying pan over medium heat, for about 6-10 minutes, stirring constantly as color starts to change; yellow quinoa will turn light brown in color (see above photo), while red quinoa turns deep red. This enhances the flavor of the dish remarkably! Meanwhile go to next step.
- While quinoa is beginning to toast, pour broth in a 1 1/2-quart saucepan (or 3-quart pan, if doubling recipe). Stir in salt and bring to a boil over medium heat; when liquid boils, add toasted seed and bring to a second boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes; red quinoa may take longer to cook. When done, water will be absorbed and quinoa will be soft and somewhat translucent.
- Serve immediately. Refrigerate any leftovers to reheat for an entrée, or to add to a green salad (see first photo).
Carrots and Quinoa Yields: 4-6 servings, as a main course or side dish respectively. Total prep time: 45 minutes.
1 med yellow onion, cut in even 1/8 inch slices
4 1/2 tsp oil (Coconut or avocado oil is best, as olive oil is carcinogenic, when heated to high temperatures.)
8 med carrots, or other vegetable (Organic multi-colored carrots are available at Trader Joe’s; color is important in diet.)
1 c quinoa (Red or tri-color is good.)
1-15-oz can chicken, vegetable, or beef broth
1/2 tsp salt (Himalayan, pink, or Real Salt is critical for premium health; an inexpensive fine grind Himalayan salt is available at Costco.)
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To caramelize onions, cook slowly over medium heat in 1/2 tsp of oil, stirring every several minutes, until a light color starts to form; then, stir every minute, until dark brown. Be sure to use a small amount of oil; too much oil will require a much longer cooking time, as will crowding the pan.
- Spray carrots with a safe inexpensive, effective vegetable spray (combine 97% distilled white vinegar with 3% hydrogen peroxide); let sit 3 minutes; rinse well.
- Bring broth to a boil in a covered 1 1/2–quart saucepan, over med/high heat; add salt. (Use a 3-quart pan is doubling recipe.)
- Toast quinoa in a hot dry frying pan, over medium heat, stirring constantly as color starts to change. This takes about 6-10 minutes-yellow quinoa will turn light brown, while red quinoa will become deep red (see photo above).
- To preserve vitamins just under skin, scrape carrots with a sharp knife, instead of peeling; slice thinly. (Meanwhile keep checking the onions.)
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Add toasted quinoa to boiling broth, cover, and reduce heat to med/low. Allow to simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and quinoa is soft and somewhat translucent (this takes about 15 minutes for yellow quinoa, while red quinoa may take longer).
- Heat remaining 4 tsp oil in an empty frying pan. Add sliced carrots, cover, and steam until soft, stirring occasionally.
- Blend onions into carrots; mix cooked quinoa into vegetables. Serve hot (see above photo).